The EIF agents had stormed the warehouse less than twenty minutes later. The Goblins were gone and so were most of Bill’s men. They had swooped in and cuffed everyone on the spot. It had taken some sorting before the EIF agents were able to figure out what had happened. The Diamond disappeared into another, larger, chest and was locked away. Ridley and Nairo were asked ‘politely’ to accompany the agents to Police HQ. The last Nairo saw of Pelt, the little Pixie had his hands bound and was being led into the back of a carriage with no windows.

They had arrived at Police HQ, their horses in a lather, just after sunrise and Nairo was split up from Ridley. She had been marched from the carriage straight to the upper floors of the precinct where she was now waiting. She had no idea how much time had passed, but she could feel a great buzz of activity below her. The EIF were in a storm trying to both figure out how they had failed to find the Diamond themselves and how to take credit regardless. Cells were being emptied. Orders that made little sense to the majority were being barked. The EIF’s strategy rooms were being dismantled as the Elves tried to make a lightning fast exit out of the city before questions could begin being asked.

All the while, Nairo sat staring at the cold cup of coffee in her hands. Her heart ached. Just about everything else too. She was exhausted. Even her bones felt tired. Her eyes were heavy and kept blurring in and out of focus. Every joint in her body pulsed with dull pain. Despite the fatigue and pain she couldn’t stop thinking about Pelt. She couldn’t stop herself from imagining what the Elves would do to him. The image of his sad face looking back at her as he was led away. He had actually smiled at her. A smile of relief. His pain was over. The nightmare might end for him. Nairo wasn’t so hopeful. He had stolen the Elves’ property. He had embarrassed them in front of the Humans. A quick end would be merciful and she knew Elves had always been deficient in mercy. Their punishments were famous for their archaic and eternal natures.

Then there was Nairo herself. How many laws had she broken in the last 48 hours? How many enemies had she made? How could she possibly keep her career, let alone her freedom, after all of this? They would dishonourably discharge her and she could possibly face prison time for the things she had done. And all for what? So the Elves could get back their weapon? So Pelt could be punished for trying to reach his own people again? So Bill Graves could blackmail Stubbs? So the Mayor could curry favour with the Elves? Who had she actually helped? Only the greedy, the powerful, and the uncaring power brokers of the city.

Nairo sat her cup aside and took the scuffed badge out of her pocket. She rubbed her thumbs across its tarnished surface, tracing the words ‘for the protection of the city’, the words seemed like parody now to her. She wished Ridley was here. He would have some way of summing it all up. Some way of making it not seem so horrific. Some nonchalant offhand comment that would put it in perspective.

“Sargeant?” the receptionist said. “The Cap’n will see you now.”

Nairo looked up and sighed. She pulled herself rigidly to her feet and tried to smooth down her hair. She looked down at her filth and blood stained tunic and didn’t even bother. Her left hip had almost entirely locked up now. She leaned against the wall of the corridor and slowly limped her way towards the Cap’n’s office. She straightened herself, cleared her throat, and knocked on the door.

“Come in!”

Nairo opened the door and walked into the office to find the unpleasant sight of Albert Stubbs sitting behind the Capn’s desk, his usual arrogant demeanour back in place. The Cap’n was standing by the window. The smile melted from his face when he saw the state of Nairo.

“Sally,” The Cap’n breathed. His usually fiery eyes filled with concern as he took in all the damage that had been done to her. The way she limped. The bruises discolouring her face and hands. The cut on her lip. Her torn and stained clothes. But worse of all, the haunting, pain in her eyes. “What the hell happened?”

“She saved the bloody day! She’s a hero!” Stubbs said, a broad, plastic smile spread across his face. “That’s what happened, Cap’n. Young and plucky detective fought for justice and got it!”

Nairo blinked in surprise and slowly looked from the Cap’n to Stubbs.

“What?”

“The Cap’n and I, and the Mayor, all agree that you are the exact person worthy of all accolades following this successful operation.”

Nairo just stood there, slightly crooked, her exhausted mind unable to unpick what was being said, so it simply shut down and waited.

“Have you ever heard the phrase all’s well that ends well, Sergeant?” Stubbs said, leaning back with so much smug self satisfaction it spilled off him in syrupy waves. “You will receive sole credit for finding the Diamond and bringing the creature responsible to justice. Not only have you solved a bank robbery, but five murders as well!”

“This is the type of case that makes a career,” Cap’n Mallory said to her. “We’ll promote you up to Lieutenant…”

“Lieutenant? What about my disciplinary?” Nairo asked.

“Oh pish posh, let’s forget about all that nonsense. You’re a hero Sarg… Lieutenant Nairo, all of that was just a misunderstanding.”

“It’s dropped,” Mallory said.

“Just like that?” Nairo said.

“Just like that,” Stubbs grinned wolfishly at her. “Of course, the exact details of the case will need to remain classified and won’t be released to the public, or anyone else for that matter.”

“We will be sticking with the official story of a bank robbery,” Mallory said. “We won’t be mentioning the murders of course, but that will all go in your favour during the promotion process.”

“Just red tape really. Consider yourself rubber stamped!” Stubbs laughed and Mallory joined in.

“Why just me? Ridley did just as much, even more, than I did.”

“Oh don’t worry, that bottom feeder got his pound of flesh,” Mallory growled.

“He received his fair reward and was sent on his way,” Stubbs agreed. “But we can’t exactly hail a person like that as the hero of this case, can we?”

“So that’s it?” Nairo asked.

“That’s it, Lieutenant.” Stubbs gave her another smile that showed too many of his yellowing teeth.

“What about Pelt?”

“Who?”

“The Pixie.”

“Oh… he’s been taken into custody of the EIF, he’s under their jurisdiction now.”

“Where is he?”

Stubbs looked at Mallory.

“The Elves have already taken him. I'm guessing he’s on his way out of the city by now.”

“You do know what they did to him?”

“What does it matter!” Stubbs snapped, his cheery veneer cracking. “It is time to put this case behind you, Lieutenant, and look to the future. Forget all of this happened. You’ve got a bright future ahead of you.”

“You’ll be in charge of your own hand picked squad,” Mallory said, trying to smile at her. His eyes had an almost pleading look to them. “You’ll be able to do things your way. Lead your officers how you want, the right way.”

“And who knows,” Stubbs continued airily. “Perhaps one day we could have the City’s first female Chief of Police!”

Nairo looked from Stubbs’ self assured smirk to Mallory’s pleading smile.

“No.” Nairo’s voice was hard.

“What?”

“I won’t just forget. You have no idea, sitting there in your chair, what we went through to solve this case. You’ve got no idea what really goes on out there. How seedy and corrupted it all really is!”

“Now Sally,” Mallory warned.

“No, Cap’n. I let you silence me once, you won’t do it twice.” Nairo’s eyes burned as she turned back to Stubbs, her knuckles were clenched so hard one of the scabs on them cracked and started bleeding again. “You really think I don’t know how embarrassing this is for you and the Mayor and the Cap’n? You think I don’t understand this was one monumental cock up up on all your parts?”

“Now listen here girlie…” Stubbs growled, raising a warning finger.

“Oh fuck off,” Nairo snapped at him. “I won’t be dictated to by a thug in a suit who does closed door deals with murderers.”

Stubbs’ eyes widened and his teeth gnashed together so hard she heard his enamel crunch.

“Sargeant!” Cap’n Mallory said, his face going an unhealthy beetroot colour.

“Not to mention all the subterfuge you allowed to happen that nearly sunk this case from the outside. Believing the Elves’ lies. Allowing them to bypass official documentation of their travels. Letting them lean on the coroner to change his autopsy report. Throwing me off the case when I started asking uncomfortable questions!” Nairo's voice was only a few decibels below a bark. “Our Government doing deals with a known murderer and Villain. Allowing the Houses to be flooded with thugs. The Mayor being simultaneously in bed with said Villain and so deep under the thumb of Elvish war criminals that you can’t even see the top of his stupid floppy bloody hair!” Nairo leaned on the desk, spreading her battered and bloody hands wide, her voice a low growl as she peered deep into Stubbs’ eyes.. “Locking up Sam’sun Chaw’drak under false charges with no real evidence other than the fact his scales are green. Knowing that the Elves used that Diamond to cause the earthq…”

“Enough!” Stubbs roared, flying out of his seat and standing almost nose to nose with Nairo. “You will shut your mouth if you know what is good for you!”

The two stood glaring at each other before Nairo gave him a small smirk.

“I will shut my mouth,” she said. “And I will keep all of that to myself. But my silence won’t come cheaply.”

Stubbs worked his jaw furiously.

“Sally this is…” The Cap’n began.

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

“Quiet Mallory.” Stubbs snapped. “What is your price?”

“First of all, an assurance of safety, for myself and Ridley and anyone else involved in this case. You will not pursue or attempt to prosecute, harass, or detain any of us.”

“Fine.”

“Next, you will reinstate Lieutenant Conway and I mean fully reinstate him. No more basement bullshit. He will be a full duty detective like he once was, if he wishes to be. He will have his pension reinstated and any cases against him will be permanently dropped, with a signed order by a judge that they will never be reopened.”

Stubbs’ jaw cracked and a vein pulsed in his temple. He looked over his shoulder at Mallory before turning back to Nairo.

“Done.”

“Finally, there is a charitable home for working Pixie’s ran by one Ms Jenkins. Your party is going to make a sizeable donation to that home which the city bank will match. Oh… and my friend Ridley needs a new coat. You’ll see to it he gets the best your money can buy.”

Stubbs growled deep in his throat and nodded.

“That’s it. You do those three things and I will hold my tongue.” Nairo smiled at Stubbs warmly.

“You can say goodbye to ever receiving a promotion now,” Stubbs snarled at her. “I’ll see to it that…”

“Save your threats,” Nairo said to him. “I quit.” She reached into her pocket and then tossed her badge on to the desk in front of Stubbs. “Turns out that badge is just a bit of scrap metal and tin.”

“Sally…” Mallory said.

“Thank you for everything you’ve done for me Cap’n,” Nairo said. “I was once proud to serve under you.”

Mallory opened his mouth and then shut it quickly, the pain in his eyes spoke volumes. Nairo saluted him and then turned and limped out of the room. She could feel Stubbs’ fury burning the back of her neck as she walked out but there was a smile on her face. She felt like a weight had lifted off her chest. She took a deep breath and then slowly made her way down the hallway.

“Sarge!” A familiar voice called Nairo as she exited the wing to the Cap’n’s office.

“Corporal Edgewater,” Nairo said, giving the cherub-faced officer a tired smile. “How are you?”

“I’m okay…” Timmy Edgewater said hesitantly as he looked Nairo up and down. “Are you okay?”

“It’s been a long day,” she replied as she looked fearfully at the stairs.

“Would you like a ‘and marm?” said another familiar voice to her left.

Nairo turned and saw Wally Washbottom standing there with a bright shiny medal pinned to his chest. He was the same gawky teenager she had met only a few days prior but something was different. He had a harder edge to his face now and he stood straighter as if he was no longer trying to hide away from the world.

“That would be nice, thank you.”

Nairo leaned on the shoulders of the two young officers and gingerly made her way down the stairs one step at a time.

“Those are some shiny medals you boys have got.”

“They’re an accommodation,” Timmy said excitedly.

“Yeah, we got ‘em for bringing in the fella wot started that fire,” Wally said sheepishly.

“The one that killed that Goblin family?” Nairo said.

“Yes ma’am,” Timmy said.

“And you two brought him in?”

“Yes marm,” Wally said, a hint of sadness in his voice.

“How did you find him?”

“We followed leads,” Wally said.

“And we went undercover,” Timmy said.

“And we kicked shit out of some baddies,” Wally added.

“But only an appropriate amount,” Timmy added quickly.

“Sounds like you two had quite an adventure,” Nairo said as they finally made it to the ground floor. “Well done.”

“Sergeant…” Timmy began.

“Just Sally,” Nairo said.

“Sally?”

Nairo pulled a face and held up her hand.

“Ma’am is fine.”

“Ma’am… we’re sorry for messing up your case and for getting you in trouble,” Timmy said quickly.

“And for being a pair of right bellends,” Wally added.

“It’s fine,” Nairo laughed. “I’m sorry for being so harsh on you two. You’re good coppers… well you’re good people and you’re on your way to being good coppers. Just remember,” Nairo tapped the bright, shiny medal on Timmy’s chest. “The badge is only worth as much as the copper it’s pinned to.” She looked at Wally and saw a look on his face that spoke of a deeper understanding of what she had just said. “Always do what you know in your guts to be the right thing.”

Wally nodded, his mouth a serious slash of determination.

“Thank you ma’am!” Timmy said with a beaming smile. “We’ll see you in the Bullpen tomorrow?”

“No. But I’ll be seeing you two around.” Nairo shook hands with the eager, if slightly sweaty, young men and watched Wally drape his arm around Timmy’s shoulder as they strode back into the HQ. She sighed and made her way to the main entrance, trying not to make eye contact with all the curious coppers. She was almost at the door when a hulking figure stood in her way. She looked up into the friendly face of Corporal Charlie. He looked battered, one of his arms was in a sling, and deep lines of exhaustion crinkled his eyes.

“Is it true?” he asked her.

“News travels faster than I do, apparently.”

“Is it?”

Nairo nodded. Charlie’s eternally jolly face frowned deeply. It aged him. All the wrinkles around his eyes and mouth deepened and even his hair looked slightly greyer and less lustrous.

“It’s not right,” he said.

“It was my choice.”

Charlie thought about that for a moment and then straightened up a smile returning to his face.

“It has been an honour and pleasure to serve under you ma’am!” Charlie gave her a stiff salute.

“Not as much as it has been for me, Charlie.” Nairo gingerly leaned forward and wrapped her good arm around Charlie’s waist giving him a gentle hug. When she stepped back she saw dewdrop tears in the corner of his blue eyes. “Keep fighting the good fight, Charlie. I’ll see you around.”

“Yes ma’am,” he croaked, looking in the distance a foot above her head as she limped out of the precinct.

That was that then. Nairo took a deep breath and winced as her ribs cried out in pain. She tried to straighten her soiled tunic and then limped through the doors. Outside, the precinct was already a flurry of movement. Barricades were being disassembled, carts were starting to come in, the city was breathing back to life. The weak morning sun dispelled the dew of the previous night and it almost felt like normality. Nairo gingerly made her way down the steps. She cast one more look over her shoulder at the precinct before stepping off the final step to life as a civilian.

“You look pretty in the morning, Sarge.”

Nairo turned and saw Ridley sitting on a low wall outside the precinct. One half of his dirty blonde hair was matted with blood. His left eye was black and swollen, the whites of the eye a livid red. Finger shaped bruises latticed down his neck and there were scratches all over one side of his face. He had his ripped and filthy coat wrapped tight around himself. He was hunched over, hugging his injured arm to his body. But there was that grin. That smirk that never seemed to be too far away from his face. His good eye twinkled at her. Next to him were two steaming cups of black coffee. Nairo smiled.

“Thanks PI.” She shuffled over to him and carefully eased herself down on the wall, accepting the coffee he pushed towards her.

“You look like shit,” she said to him after a sip.

“You too.”

“I feel like shit.”

“Me too.”

They sipped their drinks in silence.

“I heard you got your fee,” Nairo said.

“And a little extra.”

“Good.”

They sat in pensive silence for a moment, watching the morning traffic ebb into the city.

“Some case, huh?”

“Yeah, it got pretty crazy.”

“Right? Remember the Minotaur?”

“The one I saved you from?”

“I’m the one that knocked it out.”

“Only after I stopped him painting the wall with you.”

“Yeah…” Ridley chuckled.

“Remember when you fell through the ceiling in the RatHoles?” Nairo laughed.

“Oof, my knees are gonna remember that one for a while. Not as bad as the tumble you took down the staircase.”

“I’ll never look at another set of stairs the same again,” Nairo laughed. “What about the giant snake?”

“Ughh, don’t remind me.” Ridley shivered into his coat at the memory of the monstrous Moota.

They fell into silence again.

“So I guess that’s it then?” Ridley said. “It’s been… an experience, Sarge, but I guess you gotta get back to protecting law and order and all that.”

“No. I quit.”

“What?”

“They offered me a promotion to Lieutenant in exchange for my silence so I quit. I managed to twist Stubbs’ arm into getting Conway reinstated and getting us protection from any prosecution. Then I threw my badge down and quit.”

Ridley put his coffee down and broke into raspy laughter.

“You didn’t!”

“I did.”

“Was the Cap’n there?”

“Yeah.”

“I would have loved to have seen his face! What did you say?”

Nairo grinned and thought for a minute.

“I don’t know. Something about the badge being a piece of cheap metal. I’m pretty sure I told Stubbs to eff off and called him a thug in a suit.”

Ridley snorted and then started up a hacking cough.

“That is priceless,” he said once he regained his breath. “Stupidest thing is I’m the one that got you that promotion.”

“What?”

“I don’t know about twisting their arm, but I blackmailed the shit out of Stubbs and Mallory. Told them every gorey detail would be all over the streets and the Houses if they didn’t give Conway his pension back and promote you.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, you should have seen their faces. And then you told them to shove it up their ass!” Ridley started laughing again.

“Thank you,” Nairo said in a small voice.

“You deserved it. You’re one of the sharpest detectives I’ve ever had the pleasure of being forced to work with. But I only did it because I thought it would have been what you wanted.”

“Not anymore,” Nairo said, staring into her coffee. “I can’t be a part of a system like that. A system that protects men like Stubbs, Chaw’Drak, and Graves and helps them flourish.”

Ridley nodded as if he understood.

“So you’re a civvie now?”

“Yep.”

“What’re you gonna do?”

“No idea. The only thing I’ve ever wanted to do is be police.” Nairo sighed and shrugged. “Well I know right now, I definitely want to have a bath and sleep for a week at least.”

“Well…” Ridley hesitated. “If… after you wake up… if you want… There's always work for a PI with sharp instincts and a mean right hook.”

“Are you asking me to come work with you?”

“For me. As an apprentice.”

Nairo grinned at him and Ridley made a point of looking away from her.

“Like partners?”

Ridley set down his coffee and then extended his swollen and bruised hand.

“Partners. But I would be the senior partner.”

“You got a deal, PI.”

Nairo shook his hand gently and then turned just as a carriage pulled up in front of them. Ridley tensed up. Nairo looked up and saw Rufi’s half bloody face leaning out of the window.

“Hello,” he said with a grin on his face.

“Rufi,” Ridley said, nodding his head apprehensively.

“My Uncle and De Woolf have been released with a full pardon,” Rufi said. “He’s aware of the role you two played in making that happen. He sends his thanks and says the Kith are friends of yours.”

“Twelve hours ago you were trying to kill us,” Nairo said, her eyes narrow.

“Don’t take it personally, Sarge.” Rufi flashed her a grin. “And I owe you one personally for stopping the homicidal Pixie turning me into a pile of guts. Ridley knows how to find me should you ever need anything.”

“I don’t think we will,” Nairo said coldly and Rufi shrugged in return. “Oh and my Uncle sends this as a token of his appreciation.” Rufi chucked a set of keys at Ridley.

“What’s this?”

“A building in Little Kang that we own. It’s yours now to use as a proper office. See ya down the road.” Rufi waved at his driver and the carriage took off.

Ridley looked down at the set of keys then at Nairo.

“Guess we can close Mason & Squire,” Ridley said with a grin.

“And open up Nairo and… what is your surname?”

“Don’t worry about it,” Ridley downed the rest of his coffee and eased himself off the wall. “Come on Sarge, I’ve already got another case cooking and it’s a doozy. Got your notepad?”

“Always,” Nairo said as she limped after him with a smile on her face.